Mark Lynch
Co-Founder – APRO
(480) 659-1795
www.aproscottsdale.com

The Air Park Resources Organization (APRO), its' members and the big hearts of Scottsdale area residents once again showed the spirit of giving in 2006. APRO with the help of several local member businesses raised over 700 toys for the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots program.

“We were once again successful in our toy drive efforts thanks to so many of our members who participated this year.” said APRO co-founder Mark Lynch. “We were impressed by the efforts of so many people who made this drive a success.” added co-founder Karl Knelson.

This is the second year Lynch and Knelson along with other APRO members have spearheaded the annual toy drive locally, which the Marines have been doing since 1947 when Major Bill Hendricks (USMCR) who, noticing there was no charity which distributed toys to deserving children during the traditional Christmas season, collected and distributed more than 5,000 toys to children in the Los Angeles area that first year. Since then, the Toys for Tots Program has grown into a nationwide effort, coordinated by U.S. Marines, to help disadvantaged children learn the meaning of holiday giving through the gift of a new, unwrapped toy.

A number of businesses helped make the toy drive a success. The Scottsdale toy drive was conducted from Nov 28th to Dec 20th with the initial goal of 1000 toys being raised. The drive was kicked off with a holiday celebration at Jilly’s American Grill and toy collection boxes were located at (5) Chase banks, Pasta Pomodoro, Comerica Bank (Airpark), Doug Seide State Farm Insurance, Postal Max of Scottsdale, Wine Styles, Arthur Murray Dance Studios and Site Mechanix. Lynch and employees of Cactus Coffee Talk even picked up toys and donations on demand from local businesses. Boxes were once again donated by Postal Max of Scottsdale.

“We want to thank all who so generously gave both of their time and toys for this great cause.” Said Lynch. “Next year we fully expect to hit the one thousand mark.”